


Aftermath

by orphan_account



Category: Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: Gen, Veronica & Martha friendship, probably a lot of crying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-02-08 15:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1945653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dead Heather Chandler might have been right. Veronica was foolish to think that everything would go back to normal, even after JD's death and her not-so-hostile takeover of Westerburg. Martha is probably a little too forgiving and eager to bring Veronica back into her life, if only for the sake of having a friend, but nothing feels right. The red scrunchie is her reward for saving the school, for ending a cycle of Heathers -- but is it really over? Will Veronica keep herself from falling right into their place?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aftermath

They rent The Princess Bride, of course.

Admittedly, Veronica used to think it was kind of annoying that Martha mouthed a good half of the lines along with the movie, but now it can't really be anything but endearing. The broken arm and the neck brace kind of make it impossible to resent her for anything, and despite all that's happened, shoving popcorn in your face just happens to be  _really_  cathartic. It's like things can be nearly normal again. The only reminder of the past week's events lies in the red scrunchie on her wrist, a little too tight underneath her jacket -- Hell, she can almost ignore it. The temptation to pull it off and shove it in her pocket is strong, but she knows how that'd go. She'd leave it in there and then lose it in the wash and her symbol of power at Westerburg would be gone.

It hurts to think that she  _needs_  that. JD would have put it in a picture frame or burned it in front of the school or something. Maybe reminded the world that Heather Chandler is dead, ' _and now the symbol of her power is too_ '. And she would've said, "How very," and rolled her eyes about how dramatic everything has to be with him. Thinking like that almost makes her forget that he blew himself up. Maybe it'll hit her tomorrow or in a few days or next week, but right now it feels like he'll be back with some cute, egotistical speech about how he fooled her. She'll say, "You're an idiot," and he'll ask about the scrunchie and she'll shut him up with a kiss. That wouldn't be so bad, she decides.

They're scaling a cliff onscreen when Martha breaks her usual enthralled silence to glance over at Veronica and ask, "What happened at school today?" Her hands curl around the end of her sleeve, a nervous habit of hers. It's hard to know someone for so long and not see those things; that's why she recognizes that her friend is uncomfortable when she shifts and combs a shaky hand through her hair. She lets out a breathed  _umm_  before Martha speaks again, quickly: "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But, well.. You looked pretty rough. I was worried."

Veronica pulls at the scrunchie under her sleeve and takes a moment to think before she speaks. After she was such an absolute  _dick_ , Martha was still worried. She's not surprised, but she's a little disappointed. Martha deserves so much better. She bites her lip hard before she says, "Eventually I have to explain. But I don't know that right now is a good time. Can we just.. Watch the movie? Please?" Her nails dig into her skin a little then, cursing herself for asking for anything. She's just lucky to have a friend back. Hell, she'd be lucky if Martha had told her to go fuck herself and she'd been left with only McNamara. Nonetheless, Martha offers an affirmative little hum and, with her good arm, reaches over to squeeze Veronica's shoulder.

The silence that ensues is only uncomfortable until she can focus on the movie again. Under no circumstances has she seen it as often as Martha probably has, but everything is still familiar. It almost makes her laugh when she realizes exactly who Westley reminds her of.  _Life is pain, Highness._  The smile that pulls at her lips is so bitter that she finds herself hoping Martha won't look over at her. How can she explain why this makes her unsure if she should smile or cry? That she was in love with a complete nutjob who tried to blow up the school, and now he's dead and she can't believe it and every time she thinks of it she can suddenly feel the Earth spinning so fast it leaves her behind? There's no way to put it into words. Not without confessing to murder a second time, probably.

Martha doesn't ask when, for the first time, Veronica finds herself crying at the end of the movie. It's easier not to ask, and frankly, she's a little teary-eyed too, so she has no right to judge. She just sniffles and wipes at her eyes with her good hand, manages a smile. There's brief quiet as the credits roll, and then she asks, with hope in her voice, "Do you wanna stay over tonight?"

Veronica smiles through her tears, lets out the tiniest, most disbelieving laugh, and says, "Absolutely."


End file.
